Abstract
The current study examines students’ beliefs about languages in general, their overt attitudes towards Cypriot Greek and the status that is accorded to this variety. Results, from a quantitative research approach, show that the Cypriot Greek variety is in a process of changing status and it seems that it is appreciated more than in the past (Papapavlou, 1998, 2004, 2010; Tsiplakou, 2006; Ioannidou, 2009). Participants (university students) believe that languages are: a) a mirror of society and a robust means of communication, b) a reflection of the cultures of a given country, c) constantly evolving and adjusting to the needs of a society, and d) an image of our way of thinking and interacting in society. However, participants do not agree that language is the only factor in defining their ethnic identity. On the contrary, they believe that it is also affected by factors not related to language. Additionally, results reveal that misguided judgments about the supremacy and powerfulness of standard languages are inversely related to the views that the same speakers hold about non-standard languages and dialects. The findings of the present study suggest that the linguistic identity of young people in Cyprus is shifting, and this shift may have implications on issues related to language policy and planning, currently under discussion.
Highlights
Language attitudes have drawn the attention of several researchers in fields such as linguistics, psychology, sociology and biology
The present study provides a brief overview of the research conducted on the Cyprus linguistic scene concerning Cypriot Greek (CG), and the labels/descriptions that have been proposed at various times
In interpreting the results, an effort is made to (a) evaluate the findings of the current study (b) bring to light whether distorted views about standard languages have a strong bearing on how individuals appreciate variation in language and (c) suggest further experimentation for the clarity of factors that are still prevailing in this matter
Summary
Language attitudes have drawn the attention of several researchers in fields such as linguistics, psychology, sociology and biology. Mavromati 168 tudes contain cognitive, affective, and behavioral components. These are viewed as a part of general attitudes, as well as attitudes towards languages and dialects. 5), the concept of linguistic culture is necessary to fully understand the language policy environment in any sociolinguistic situation. It is the set of behaviours, assumptions, cultural forms, prejudices, folk belief systems, attitudes, stereotypes, ways of thinking about language and religio-historical circumstances associated with a particular language. Recent studies on language attitudes show that a lay person’s attitudes toward languages and dialects are basically social value judgments. Some linguists find value judgments as lacking scientific verification and propose several methodological approaches for studying this sociolinguistic phenomenon. The second includes indirect measures such as the “matched-guise technique” and the “magic boxes” and the third is called the “discourse analytic method” where the researcher undertakes a content analysis of discourse whereby they examine how people treat a linguistic variety within society (Ryan et al, 1988)
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